The Met Office has extended its warnings into Saturday and Sunday covering the north and the west of the county with predictions of snow and extremely cold conditions.

Warnings have been in place for much of this past week as temperatures took another dive and meteorologists even reported that a North Pole phenomenon called Sudden Stratospheric Warming could lead to a further three weeks of harsh, wintry conditions.

A warming of the air in the Arctic is set to push the Polar Vortex further south, bringing with it extremely cold air that could hang around right through to March.

This weekend’s warnings are focused across the north of the county, just taking in Scarborough, from 8pm on Saturday through to 11am on Sunday and then down the western edge as far across as Harrogate and Rotherham from 8pm on Saturday to 11am Sunday.

The Met Office website reads: “A spell of rain, sleet and hill snow will move east through Saturday evening before skies clear leading to ice developing on untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths.

“Above around 200 metres, two to five centimetres of snow may accumulate although there is a small chance of five to ten centimetres falling over some parts.

“As skies clear from the west overnight into Sunday morning, ice is expected to form on any untreated surfaces.”

It is much the same picture for the west of Yorkshire on Sunday morning.

The report states: “Scattered wintry showers are expected with ice likely to form on untreated pavements, cycle paths and roads. Some roads and railways are likely to be affected with longer journey times by road, bus and train services. Some injuries from slips and falls are possible on icy surfaces.